Die-layout machine



Dec. 27, 1966 w. F. WARD ETAL DIE-LAYOUT MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 16, 1965 Fig.

III'I'IIQIIIIIII INVENTORS M/l'l/fam 5 Ward Char/es E 507/;

ATTORNEY 1966 w. F. WARD ETAL 3,293,751

DIE-LAYOUT MACHINE Filed Nov. 16, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS William F Word Char/es E. Sm/f/z BY 11/ 01120 7M ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,293,751 DIE-LAYOUT MACHINE William F. Ward, Hampstead, and Charles E. Smith,

Lutherville, Md, assignors to The Ward Die-Vise Company, Baltimore, Md, a corporation of Maryland Filed Nov. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 508,120 Claims. (Cl. 3322) This invention relates generally to geometrical instruments, and more particularly it pertains to a machine for laying out rotary steel rule dies directly from a drawing.

A steel rule rotary die machine requires a plywood support for holding the rules on edge. This wood support is curved to conform to the rotary drum, and the carving for the rules must be done in reverse to the layout drawings. In addition, the rule edge protrudes a finite distance above the surface of the wood, thus requiring a shrinkage allowance to compensate for radial differences. For these reasons, it is difficult to accurately lay out the die.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a machine for laying out the rotary dies for a steel rule blanking machine directly and accurately from a drawing whereby compensation is automatically given for the curved surface of a drum, the reversal of the layout, and the shrinkage due to the radial protrusion of the rule.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a die-layout machine for laying out rotary steel rule dies directly from a drawing.

And yet another object of this invention is to provide a die-layout machine which is compact, efficient and re liable in use, and which is economical to construct and maintain.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent and understood from the following detailed specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away of a die layout machine, incorporating features of this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the machine of FIG; 1 with the wood-mounting drum cut away to show the layout translating mechanism.

Referring now to the details of the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates generally a die layout machine. This machine 10 consists of a frame 12 on which are mounted two different diameter drums 14 and 16 which are arranged for rotation in opposite directions in a one to one ratio by means of an intermediate pair of gears 18 and 20. An over head hand-wheel 22 provides motive power and is linked for this purpose to one of the gears 18 through a chain and sprocket arrangement 24 as shown.

One of the drums 16 is smooth surfaced so a layout drawing 26 may be alfixed thereon. The other drum 14 is perforated with tapped holes 28 in replica of the standard die drums of a rotary die machine.

A pair of rods 30 and 32 are mounted spaced one above the other across the frame 12. A translating arm 34 extends from a point above the top surface of drum 14 to a point above the top surface of drum 16, and it is secured to a frame 36 which embraces the topmost rod 30 through a sliding journal 38. The frame 36 is provided with a steady rest comprising a pair of opposing screws 40, which lightly bear against the lowermost rod 32. Unless clamped by means of clamp screw 42, the journal 38 permits the translating arm 34 to be shifted by hand back and forth parallel to the axis of drums 14 and 16.

A lens and reticule 44 is fastened to the end of the translating arm 34 in position to view the drawing 26 on the drum 16. A pen or scriber 46 is fixed to a handle 48 on the other end of the translating arm 34. The handle 48 is arranged to be depressed and detented to a lowered position with the scriber 46 when desired.

In use, a plywood die plate D is temporarily secured to the surface of drum 14 and drilled at several points with a standard layout of mounting holes corresponding to the tapped holes 28. This may be facilitated by means of a drill bar or template 50 normally stowed in an ele vated position out of the way as shown in FIG. 1.

Guided by the lens and reticule 44, the operator moves the translating arm 34 or rotates the hand-Wheel 22 While the scriber 46 is in contact with the die plate D. The translated scribed layout thereon is then cut out by a saw or a routing tool to accommodate the thickness of the usual steel rules. It should be noted that dimensional shrinkage for radial protrusion of the rules is provided for by making the drum 14 smaller in diameter than drum 16 which carries the drawing.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A die layout machine, comprising, a pair of drums mounted parallel and horizontally spaced from each other and arranged for rotation in opposite directions, means coupled to said drums for rotating said drums at a predetermined speed ratio with respect to each other, one of said drums having a smooth surface to receive a layout drawing adjacent to the surface thereto, means including a pair of parallel spaced member mounted one above the other and positioned intermediate said horizontally spaced drums, means including a translating arm extending from a point above the top surface of said one drum to a point above the top surface of said other drum, slid ing means embracing said topmost member, said translating arm being secured intermediate its opposite ends to said sliding means, with said sliding means permitting said translating arm to be shifted back and forth parallel to the axis of said drums, said sliding means having a steady rest consisting of a pair of opposing elements which lightly bear against the lowermost member, means including a lens and reticule fastened to one end of said translating arm in position to view said layout drawing on said one drum, and means including a scriber mounted on the other end of said translating arm positioned above said other drum, with said scriber being arranged to be depressed and detented to a lowered position as desired to contact said other drum.

2. A die layout machine as recited in claim 1, and additionally a plywood die plate temporarily secured to the surface of said other drum for receiving markings from said scriber corresponding to markings on said layout drawing on said one drum.

3. A die layout machine as recited in claim 2, Wherein said other drum is of slightly smaller diameter than said one drum having said layout drawing thereon to compensate for dimensional shrinkage for radial protrusions of steel rules subsequently secured in positions corresponding to the markings indicated on said plywood die plate.

4. A die layout machine as recited in claim 2, wherein said other drum is perforated with apertures in replica of a die drum, and means for securing said plywood die plate in selected apertures of said other drum.

5. A die layout machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said drums are arranged to rotate in a one to one speed ratio with respect to each other.

6. A die layout machine as recited in claim 1, wherein the means coupled to said drums for rotating said drurns at a predetermined speed ratio consists of an intermediate pair of gears coupled to said drums, a chain and sprocket arranged coupled to said intermediate pair of gears, and a drive means coupled to said chain for moving said chain.

7. A die layout machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said pair of members consist of a pair of parallel rods, and said frame means includes a sliding journal embracing said uppermost rod.

8. A die layout machine as recited in claim 7, wherein said pair of opposing elements consist of opposing screws.

9. A die layout machine as recited in claim 1, and means for clamping said sliding frame means in a fixed position.

10. A die layout machine, comprising, frame structure, a pair of slightly different diameter drums mounted on said frame structure parallel and horizontally spaced from each other and arranged for rotation in opposite directions, means coupled to said drums for rotating said drums in a predetermined speed ratio with respect to each other, one of said drums having a smooth surface to receive a layout drawing adjacent to the surface thereto, said other drum being perforated with apertures in replica of a die drum, means including a pair of parallel spaced rod mounted one above the other to said frame structure and positioned intermediate said drums, means including a translating arm extending from a point above the top surface of said one drum to a point above the top surface of said other drum, frame rneans embracing said topmost rod through a sliding journal, said translating arm being secured intermediate its opposite ends to said frame means, with said sliding journal permitting said translating arm to be shifted back and forth parallel to the axis of said drums, said frame means including a steady rest consisting of a pair of opposing screws which lightly bear against the lowermost rod, means including a lens and reticule fastened to the end of said translating arm in position to view said layout drawing on said one drum, and means including a scriber fixed to a handle on the other end of said translating arm positioned above said other drum, with said handle being arranged to be depressed and detented to a lowered position with said scriber as desired to contact said other drum.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,629,931 3/1953 Brierley 33-22 LEONARD FORMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DIE LAYOUT MACHINE, COMPRISING, A PAIR OF DRUMS MOUNTED PARALLEL AND HORIZONTALLY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND ARRANGED FOR ROTATION IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, MEANS COUPLED TO SAID DRUMS FOR ROTATING SAID DRUMS AT A PREDETERMINED SPEED RATIO WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, ONE OF SAID DRUMS HAVING A SMOOTH SURFACE TO RECEIVE A LAYOUT DRAWING ADJACENT TO THE SURFACE THERETO, MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF PARALLEL SPACED MEMBERS MOUNTED ONE ABOVE THE OTHER AND POSITIONED INTERMEDIATE SAID HORIZONTALLY SPACED DRUMS, MEANS INCLUDING A TRANSLATING ARM EXTENDING FROM A POINT ABOVE THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID ONE DRUM TO A POINT ABOVE THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID OTHER DRUM, SLIDING MEANS EMBRACING SAID TOPMOST MEMBER, SAID TRANSLATING ARM BEING SECURED INTERMEDIATE ITS OPPOSITE ENDS TO SAID SLIDING MEANS, WITH SAID SLIDING MEANS PERMITTING SAID TRANSLATING ARM TO BE SHIFTED BACK AND FORTH PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID DRUMS, SAID SLIDING MEANS HAVING A STEADY REST CONSISTING OF A PAIR OF OPPOSING ELEMENTS WHICH LIGHTLY BEAR AGAINST THE LOWERMOST MEMBER, MEANS INCLUDING A LENS AND RETICULE FASTENED TO ONE END OF SAID TRANSLATING ARM IN POSITION TO VIEW SAID LAYOUT DRAWING ON SAID ONE DRUM, AND MEANS INCLUDING A SCRIBER MOUNTED ON THE OTHER END OF SAID TRANSLATING ARM POSITIONED ABOVE SAID OTHE DRUM, WITH SAID SCRIBER BEING ARRANGED TO BE DEPRESSED AND DETENTED TO A LOWERED POSITION AS DESIRED TO CONTACT SAID OTHER DRUM. 